Srinagar, May 6: There is more area occupied by defense use than the area used for the development of Srinagar district, an report reads.
As per the Srinagar Metropolitan Plan (SMP) report- 2035 accessed by Kashmir In-Depth, the defense use is spread over an area of 23.0 sq. km. including many military and paramilitary establishments in the summer capital.
“The widespread existence of military and paramilitary establishments across Srinagar has actually surpassed its area under public infrastructure. The statistics reveal that there is more area occupied by defense use than the area used for the development of district, divisional and state level public and semi-public infrastructure,” the report reads.
It says, “The indiscriminate dispersal of defense establishments in every nook and corner of the city including the civilian areas is construed as a major impediment in city development. Adopting the guidelines of the ministry of defense, the situation will become more grim causing undesirable strain on urban infrastructure.”
Srinagar Metropolitan Plan was approved by the state administrative council headed by Governor SP Malik recently.
The report states that defense is a non-urban use, which if not shifted needs to be consolidated at select locations in the periphery of city.
“As such, it is strongly recommended that the existing defense establishments need to be consolidated or re-organized by shifting such establishments located deep inside civilian areas, important commercial areas, public buildings, etc. As an immediate policy measure, the army establishments at Tatoo Ground, Alouchibagh and civilian areas need to be shifted at the earliest,” it reads.
